Method of manufacturing a woven warp pile fabric



Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELLIS 3'. LEAGH, OF SANFORD, MAINE, ASSIGNOR I SANFORD MILLS, 0F SANFORD, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A WOVEN WARP PILE FABRIC No Drawing.

This invention has for its object to provide a method of manufacturing or producmg in a novel, economical manner a Woven warp pile fabric in which the pile formed from the a) warp is of mohair or sim1lar hair fibre.

Pile fabrics in which the pile, either in the form of cut, uncut, or partially cut and partially uncut loops, and whether or not the pile covers the whole surface, is formed from warps interlooped with a ground composed of a set of ground warps and filling and in which the pile warp yarn is composed of the hair fibres of the sheep, Angora goat, camel, or other like animal is very widely 11b and extensively used. But heretofore 1n the weaving of this type of fabric it has been uniformly necessary to employ for the pile warp a ply yarn, that is, a plurality of separately spun single yarns twisted together to at form the warp. lhis has been necessary for many reasons and principally (1) in order to impart to the pile warp the tensile strength requisite for its use as pile warp in the weaving operation, (2) in order to maintam substantially unimpaired the elasticity of the pile warp, (3) in order to bind the loose and otherwise projecting fibres into the yarn strand, and (4;) in order to render the pile war sufficiently smooth to withstand the cha ng to which it is subjected as it passes through the drop wires, dents of the reed, and other instrumentalities of the loom in the weaving operation.

The present invention provides a method by means of which a single yarn of an equivalent count to the corresponding ply yarn heretofore used for this purpose or a single yarn ,of a count required for the pile warp is employed and is temporarily treated to provide it with the characteristics required of a corresponding ply yarn during the weaving operation.

The expense of preparing or temporarily treating a single hair fibre yarn in accordance with this invention to give it the equivalent characteristics of :1 ply yarn of the same fibre and of equivalent count for use as pile warp in the weaving of a warp pile fabric is very slight as compared with the great 5 savings resulting from the ability to use a Application filed August 8, 1930. Serial No. 474,064.

single yarn rather than a ply yarn for the pile warp in the weaving of the fabric.

A preferred procedure of carrying out the process of this invention is as follows:

A single yarn of the required count and of a hair fibre such-as that of the sheep, Angora goat, camel, or other like animal, is first spun by any of the usual spinning methods. The invention is particularly useful in connection with mohair fibre now so extensively used for the pile warp of warp pile fabrics, although it is applicable to pile warps composed of other similar animal fibres such as those named. The count of the single yarn is determined by the count of the ply yarn of similar fibre and of which it is to take the place. For example, if the Warp pile fabric has usually been woven' with 2/24s warp pile yarn, then the single yarn accordlng to this invention would be a No. 12. But it will be understood that there is some range in equivalency of count familiar to those skilled in the spinning art. A two-ply yarn of equivalent count to a No. 12 single may be, for example, a 2/24 owing to the loss m twisting the ply yarn.

After the single yarn has been spun, it may be, if desired, singed by any of the usual methods to remove the beard, but this has been found, andwill usually be found, unnecessary when the yarn is treated in accordance with this invention.

The single yarn thus spun is then temporarily reenforced with a removable size having the characteristics of (1) imparting to this single yarn, the tensile strength requisite for its use as pile warp in the weaving operation, (2) of maintaining substantially unimpaired the elasticity of the yarn, (3) of binding the loose and otherwise projecting fibres adherently into the yarn strand, and (4) of rendering the yarn smooth so that it will withstand the. chafing to which it is necessarily subjected in passing through the drop wires, dents of the reed, and other instrumentalities of the loom. In other words, the re movable size, while maintaining substantially unimpaired the elasticity of this pile warp single yarn, temporarily imparts to it the qualities of strength, smoothness, and ability forming a warp pile fabric.

The operation of sizing the single pile warp yarn may be performed by any suitable process or a aratus as, for example, by. assing the yarii throug h a slasher. The siize employed must have the characteristics of temporarily bindin the fibres of the yarn into the yarn stran enabling the yarn to pass without material diminution of its strength through the drop wires, reed, and other instrumentalities of the loom and of being readily removable at the conclusion of the weavin operation, all without injury to the fibre.

%)ne good formula for a size having the characteristics and imparting the qualities desired is as follows:

20 gallons water 20 pounds British gum 15 pounds viscolite 10 pounds animal glue 10 pounds pearl starch An essential characteristic of the size is that it is a water-mixed size and readily removable from the fabric after weaving by a simple water and soap solution and preferably at a temperature of around 120 F.

British gum is a well-known product having a starch base.

Viscolite is a well-known trade product and its function is to form a hard coating on the surface of the yarn to resist chafingof the yarn as it passes through the various 1nstrumentalities of the loom. 1

The function of the animal glue and of the pearl starch is chiefly that of an adheslve to bind the fibres into the yarn strand.

Within the broader scope of the invention the ingredients of the size may be varied and others substituted therefor, provided that the composition of the size is such as to enable it to be readily removable without injury to the fibre and provided that it acts to give the requisite strength to the yarn to enable 1t to withstand the weaving operation without material diminution of its quality. But for mohair warp yarn the formula given has been found to give the best results.

After the yarn has been sized in accordance with this invention, it is then ready to be employed as the pile warp in the weaving of a warp pile fabric in the usual manner, as, for example, in the weaving of mohair warp pile plush on a pile loom, with the pile loops being cut, left uncut, or partially cut and uncut as desired.

It is found by actual test that a single yarn treated in accordance with this invention and of an equivalent count to apply yarn and of the same animal fibre, as, for example, mohair yarns together in the forming of the plfi war fibre, has all the strength and other qualities 7 a quality equal to that produced with a ply warp pile yarn.

After the pile fabric has been woven with the sized single warp pile yarn as set forth, the size is removed by washing with a simple soap and water solution and at a normaltemperature of around 120 F. Such washing of this type of pile fabric is generally employed in finishing to remove vegetable and animal oils and dirt. Consequently the washin and further treatment and finishing of the abric may be carried on as usual.

The savings which result from this invention are revolutionary. First, the spinning production is practically doubled. Instead of spinning two single yarns to form a twoply yarn, it is suflicient now to spin one single yarn of a count equivalent to the two single yarns. This means either that twice as much of the pile warp yarn required can be spun with an existing outfit of spinning machines or that half the plant of spinning machines heretofore required is now sufficient for the spinning of the pile warp yarn. All of this means a great reduction in capital expenditure, labor and overhead. Second, all the expense of plant, labor, overhead, etc., heretofore required for twisting the single pile yarn is entirely eliminated. 'r somewhat coarser fibre may be employed for the pile warp yarn because in spinning a single yarn, as, for example, a No. 12, a some- .what coarser fibre may be employed as compared with the spinning of two strands of No. 24 yarn. Thus there is here a saving in the cost of the fibre and without any material diminution of its quality. Fourth, the operations prior to spinning are materially reduced in cost while the production is increased. Fifth, there is a general saving and reduction of waste throughout the entire process of the formation of the yarn in many ways which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the cost of inspection is reduced as it is no longer necessary to dress or inspect the yarn before warpin which costs a substantial amount for labor 1n addition to the space and machinery required.

The process of the invention therefore enables a mohair warp pile fabric or a pile fabric in which the pile is formed from the warps of a similar animal fibre to be made at a greatly reduced cost than heretofore and without impairment of its quality.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. The method of manufacturing a woven warp pile fabric which consists in spinning the hair fibres of the sheep, Angora goat, camel, or other like animal into a single, as

I in

contradistinguished from a ply, yarn of the count required for the pile warp, but of a tensile strength insuflicient to withstand the weaving operation, temporarily reenforcing the single hair fibre yarn thus spun with a removable size having the characteristics of (1) imparting to the yarn the tensile strength requisite for its use as pile warp in the weaving operation, (2) maintaining substantially unimpaired the elasticity of the yarn, (3) binding the loose and otherwise projecting fibres adherentlyinto the yarn strand, (4) rendering the yarn smooth to withstand chafing by the instrumentalities of the loom through which it passes inthe weaving operation, weaving the fabric with the said yarn thus reenforced constituting the warps from which the pile of the fabric is formed and with a second set of warps and a set'of filling constituting the ground, and thereafter removing the size.

2. The method of manufacturing a Woven Warp pile fabric which consists in spinning the hair fibres of the sheep, Angora goat, camel, or other like animal into a single, as contradistinguished from :1- ply, yarn of the count required for the pile warp, but of a tensile strength insufficient to Withstand the weaving operation, temporarily reenforcing the single hair fibre yarn thus spun with a water-mixed removable size having the characteristics of (1) imparting to the yarn the tensile strength requisite for its use as pile warp in the weaving operation, (2) maintaining substantially unimpaired the elasticity of the yarn, (3) binding the loose and otherwise projecting fibres adherently into the yarn strand, (4) rendering the yarn smooth to withstand chafing by the instrumentalities of the loom through which it passes in the weaving operation, weaving the fabric with the said yarn thus reenforced constituting the warps from which the pile of the fabric is formed and with a second set of warps and a set of filling constituting the ground, and thereafter washing out the size with a water and soap solution.

3. The method of manufacturing a woven mohair warp pile fabric which consists in spinning mohair fibre into a single, as contradistinguished from a ply, yarn of the count required for the pile warp, but of a tensile strength insufiicient to withstand the weaving operation, temporarily reenforcing the mohair fibre yarn thus spun with a removable size having the characteristics of 1) imparting to the yarn the tensile strength requisite for its use as pile warp in the weaving operation, (2) maintaining substantially unimpaired the elasticity of the yarn, '(3) binding the loose and otherwise projecting fibres adherently into the yarn strand, (4) rendering the yarn smooth to withstand chafing by the instrumentalities of the loom through which it passes in the weaving operation, weaving the fabric with the said yarn thus reenforced constituting the warps from which the pile of the fabric is formed and with a second set of warps and a set of filling constituting the ground, and thereafter removing the size.

4. The method of manufacturing a woven mohair warp pile fabric which consists in spinning mohair fibre into a single, as contradistinguished from a ply, yarn of the count required for the pile warp, but of a tensile strength insufiicient to withstand the Weaving operation, temporarily reenforcing the mohair fibre yarn thus spun with a watermixed removable size having the characteristics of (1) imparting to the yarn the tensile strength requisite for its use as pile warp in the weaving operation, (2) maintaining substantially unimpaired the elasticity of the yarn, (3) binding the loose and otherwise projecting fibres adherently into the yarn strand, (4) rendering the yarn smooth to withstand chafing by the instrumentalities of the loom through which it passes in the weaving operation, weaving the fabric with the said yarn thus reenforced constituting the warps from which the pile of the fabric is formed and with a second set of warps and a set of filling constituting the ground, and thereafter washing out the size witha water and soap solution.

5. The method of manufacturing a woven warp pile fabric which consists in spinning the hair fibres of the sheep, Angora goat, camel, or other like animal into a single, as contradistinguished from a ply, yarn of the count required for the pile warp, but of a tensile strength insufficient to withstand the weaving operation, temporarily reenforcing the single hair fibre yarn thus spun with a removable size acting to impart to the yarn the characteristics presented for the weaving operation by a ply yarn of equivalent count, weaving the fabric with the said yarn thus reenforced constituting the warps from which the pile of the fabric is formed and with a second set of warps and a set of filling constituting the moving the size.

I11 testimony whereof, I have signed name to this specification.

ELLIS J. LEACH.

ground, and thereafter re- 

